A South Texas psychiatrist has temporarily lost his license after an investigation found he issued thousands of opioid prescriptions over a year, according to Texas Medical Board records.

The Texas Medical Board temporarily suspended the license of Jason Evans on Jan. 25, according to an order from the board. Evans’ main practice is in Harlingen, but he also practices in Corpus Christi, the document shows.

An investigator found that from August 2016 to August 2017, he prescribed “a total of 4,906 opioid prescriptions, 1,047 benzodiazapines prescriptions and 4,382 of Soma prescriptions.”

The order continues that patients getting the prescriptions and the pharmacies where they were filled are located in Houston, despite Evans working in Harlingen and Corpus Christi.

“(Evans) does not hold any pain management clinic registrations with the Texas Medical Board,” the order states. ” Due to the number of controlled substances prescribed, the Board Investigative Staff opened an investigation. After several attempts to locate (Evans) and a clinic located where patients were being seen, the investigations department has not been able to locate (Evans), a clinic in Houston, or retrieve (Evan’s) medical records.”

Some of the prescriptions were written during a period when investigators were told Evans was in the hospital, the order states.

The volume of prescriptions submitted requires the board to investigate, including an inspection and audit, it continues.

“Given respondent’s failure to cooperate and reported impaired status and the continuing prescription of controlled substances, (Evans) presents a continuing threat to the public,” the order states.